Jason Denton charged with two felonies

Published April 24, 2014 at 11:18 am

Jason Anthony Denton, 27, Little Falls, was charged April 21 in Morrison County District Court with one felony each of third degree sale of a controlled substance and leading a buyer to believe he was selling a controlled substance.

In January 2013, a confidential informant told the Central Minnesota Violent Offenders Task Force that he could purchase a gram of methamphetamine for $160 from Denton.

The informant was fitted with a recording/transmitting devise and given money to purchase the drugs.

An investigator watched as Denton got into the informant’s vehicle and could hear the transaction take place.

Denton was seen getting out of the vehicle. When the investigators met up with the informant, he handed over the recording device and a cigarette box allegedly containing four baggies of what appeared to be methamphetamine.

According to the criminal complaint, the baggies weighed 0.3 grams and the substance tested positive for methamphetamine.

In February 2013, an informant told investigators that he/she could buy a gram of methamphetamine from Denton for $150. After the transaction took place, the informant met with investigators and turned over a baggie that immediately was determined to be table salt. It did not field test positive for methamphetamine.

A check of Denton’s criminal record showed he was convicted of fifth degree possession of a controlled substance in 2010, and was currently being prosecuted for possession of a fifth degree controlled substance, both in Morrison County.

If convicted, Denton faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine.